Highlights and Press Conferences available on Minnesota and New York YouTube channels
DENVER, CO (March 15, 2026) – The Minnesota Frost withstood a third period rally by the New York Sirens to grab a 4-3 victory on Sunday afternoon before a crowd of 15,512 at Denver’s Ball Arena as part of the 2025-26 PWHL Takeover Tour presented by Woody Creek Distillers. The Frost built a four-goal lead through 40 minutes before the Sirens scored a trio of goals in a span of 4:25 for an exciting finish. Grace Zumwinkle led the Frost offense with two goals, including the opening marker at 10:04 of the first period, and the winning tally with a laser streaking down the right wing at 12:32 of the middle frame. Fellow U.S. Olympic gold medalists provided the offense in between with goals from Taylor Heise and Britta Curl-Salemme, with the latter on a one-time blast off a pass from Kelly Pannek. The Sirens used a pair of power plays to cut into the deficit, first with a redirection by rookie Anna Bargman at 12:32 of the third that stood following video review for a potential high stick. Bargman then set up Paetyn Levis for New York’s second goal at 13:50, and defender Allyson Simpson completed her two-point performance by scoring with the player advantage at 16:59. Colorado native Nicole Hensley shook off the three goals to earn the win before her hometown crowd with a 23-save performance. Kayle Osborne stopped 24 shots in defeat.
The win moves Minnesota into a second-place tie with Montréal, three points back of first-place Boston. The Sirens drop down to sixth place, surpassed by Toronto who beat Seattle in regulation at home earlier today. This was the 11th of 16 games on the Takeover Tour schedule and second stop in Denver this season. The Frost have won both of their visits to the Mile High City in two seasons, defeating the Victoire 4-2 last January. Both teams return to action Wednesday with Minnesota hosting Ottawa and New York heading west to Vancouver.
QUOTES
Minnesota Head Coach Ken Klee on if there's a way teams may approach playing the back-to-back champions: “I think there's no doubt in our mind we have a mark on our back, because we are the back-to-back [PWHL Champions], so we're going to get their best game every night. I think that's our expectation. We're not going to have an easy game. We know every team is gunning for us to knock us off. I think these guys take it as a challenge and know it's coming, but also it makes [opponents] bring their best every night, where they know they can't have shifts off or nights off. It's part of it. I think our ladies take it as a challenge as well, so it's good.”
Frost goaltender Nicole Hensley on the importance of having events around the Takeover Tour: “I think it's huge. I think that's something that the PWHL has done really well. We don't just bring a game here. We bring clinics, we bring opportunities to meet athletes, and that's huge. As someone who grew up here, I didn't have accessible female hockey player role models that I could actually see in-person very often. It was just when the national team rolled through in 2002 and then again in 2010, so the fact that there's been three games here for young girls to be able to watch the Grace Zumwinkles and Taylor Heises - that's so special. Especially on the heels of the [United States] winning gold at the Olympics, that's only going to grow hockey out west. I think that's the whole goal for everybody is to grow the game and get more girls in it. That's only going to help our league."
New York Head Coach Greg Fargo on what the messaging was going into the third period: “Yeah, for us, the second didn’t go the way we wanted it to. We stepped away from our game. Our group has played a lot of good hockey over the last month or so, and even though the results haven’t been what we want every night, many parts of our game have been consistent. When we’re playing well, we’re doing X, Y and Z. We reminded the group of those things, and I thought we got back to our game in the third period. They responded really well.”
Sirens Captain Micah Zandee-Hart on the players’ perspective going into Takeover Tour games: “I think from the outside it might seem strange that it’s a home game for Minnesota in Denver, but our team has embraced it. We’ve been in a lot of Takeover Tour games this year and have been fortunate to experience them. Seeing the attendance record go up—15,000—and hearing the “we want a team” chant gives me chills on the bench. Even though you’re not in your home rink, there’s so much momentum behind our league and our sport right now. We’re grateful for moments like this with fans we might not normally get to interact with.”
NOTABLES
Today’s crowd of 15,512 is the seventh highest of the PWHL season and third highest through the first 11 games of the 2025-26 PWHL Takeover Tour. The three games played at Ball Arena in two seasons have totaled 41,142 fans following the crowd of 11,612 on Jan. 25 for the game between Seattle and Vancouver, and the 14,018 for the first-ever PWHL game in Denver between Minnesota and Montréal on Jan. 12, 2025.
Minnesota has collected points in nine of their last 10 games (5-2-2-1) including eight of a possible nine against New York (2-1-0-0).
The Frost have scored four or more goals in eight of their 19 games this season and lead the league with 59 goals overall. They are the only team in the PWHL averaging more than three goals per game.
Minnesota has won all nine of their games when leading after the first period, while New York has not won any of the nine games in which they have trailed after two periods.
The Sirens scored twice on the power play today, their third game of the season with multiple goals with the player advantage.
Minnesota recorded six of a possible nine points in their three Takeover Tour games this season following an overtime loss to Ottawa in Chicago on Dec. 21, and an overtime win over Vancouver in Edmonton on Dec. 27.
New York suffered their first loss in three Takeover Tour games this season following regulation wins over Seattle in Dallas on Dec. 28 and Montréal in Washington D.C. on Jan. 18. They will play two more Takeover Tour games against Seattle in Chicago on Mar. 25 and Montréal in Detroit on Mar. 28.
Grace Zumwinkle extended her point streak to a season-high three games (2G, 2A) with her second multi-goal performance of the season. The Olympic gold medalist’s eight goals in 19 games doubles the four she recorded in 22 games last season and is three shy of the 11 she scored in 24 games as a rookie.
Taylor Heise increased her lead atop the PWHL scoring race with her sixth goal and 21st point of the season. The Olympic gold medalist has scored in three straight games (3G, 2A) and has 15 points (5G, 10A) in her last 10 games since Jan. 4.
Britta Curl-Salemme scored on a game-high five shots on goal and has points in three straight games (1G, 2A). The Olympic gold medalist scored for the first time since a multi-goal performance on Jan. 28 before the break and stands alone in second in league scoring with 19 points (8G, 11A) in 19 games.
Anna Bargman recorded her first career multi-point performance with a goal and an assist, including her first career power play tally. The fifth-round pick is the fifth Sirens rookie to reach five points (3G, 2A), with all of her production coming in 11 games since Dec. 31.
Paetyn Levis tied a career high with her fourth goal of the season, snapping a season-high six-game point drought. The Rogers, MN, native now has seven points in 20 games, one shy of the eight (4G, 4A) she recorded in 30 games in 2024-25, with half of her career goals scored against her home state team.
Allyson Simpson has goals in consecutive games, both on the power play, setting a new career-high after going the first 18 games of the season without finding the back of the net. The second-year defender added an assist today for her first career multi-point performance in 50 career games with the Sirens.
Nicole Hensley earned her 20th career win, becoming the fifth goaltender in PWHL history to reach the milestone. The Lakewood, CO, native’s first win in three games since Jan. 16 brings her season total to six in nine starts following back-to-back seven-win campaigns. Her 1.98 goals-against average and .932 save percentage both rank third among PWHL netminders this season.
Kendall Cooper collected her second multi-assist performance of the season with secondary helpers on both Zumwinkle goals. The Frost first-round pick has four assists in her last three games and now ranks second in scoring among defenders and second among all rookies with 13 points (1G, 12A) in 19 games.
Kelly Pannek has combined with Curl-Salemme on 11 goals this season, second most of any PWHL duo. The Olympic gold medalist extended her point streak to three (1G, 2A), has eight points (5G, 3A) in her last nine games, and is tied for third in PWHL scoring with 18 points (9G, 9A) in 19 games.
Madison Bizal picked up an assist for her first point in 10 games as a member of the Frost. The defender previously had two assists in 21 games with Montréal during the inaugural season, with her last on Feb. 21, 2024.
Vanessa Upson recorded the first point of her PWHL career with a primary assist on the winning goal. The fifth-round pick from Mercyhurst University has played in 17 games for the Frost.
Jaime Bourbonnais recorded her second multi-assist effort of the season and has three helpers in her last two games. The Sirens alternate captain leads the team’s defense with eight points (1G, 7A), surpassing the seven points (2G, 5A) she produced in 30 games in 2024-25.
Maddi Wheeler has points in two straight games for the Sirens with an assist today following a goal last Sunday against Ottawa. The fourth-round pick became the fifth rookie to reach double-digits in points, totaling two goals and eight assists through 20 games.
Kayle Osborne made her league leading 19th appearance of the season and is six shots away from becoming the second goaltender to face 500 this season. She has allowed four or more goals three times this season, including twice against the Frost.
Peyton Anderson, from Arvada, CO, played her first professional game in her home state with 80 friends and family members in attendance. The Frost rookie has been in the lineup for all 19 games this season.
Sirens forward Taylor Girard was stretchered off the ice during the second period of today’s game with a lower-body injury.
Casey O’Brien was scratched from the Sirens lineup today, missing the first game of her rookie season, and is listed day-to-day with upper-body injury.
THREE STARS
1. Grace Zumwinkle (MIN) 2G
2. Anna Bargman (NY) 1G, 1A
3. Kendall Cooper (MIN) 2A
STANDINGS
Minnesota: 36 PTS (9-3-3-4) – 2nd Place (Tied)
New York: 27 PTS (8-0-3-9) – 6th Place
UPCOMING SCHEDULES
Minnesota: Wednesday, Mar. 18 vs. Ottawa at 6 p.m. CT / 7 p.m. ET
New York: Wednesday, Mar. 18 at Vancouver at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET